From: Scott Chase (ecphoric@hotmail.com)
Date: Sun 04 Jul 2004 - 00:09:29 GMT
Thanks Keith for this interesting contribution. One issue that I think
needs pondering is the status of the moon with regards to human
conceptions of property rights versus socialization. Should plots upon
the moon's surface be staked out for the prospectors and resort owners
and to what entity should property taxes be paid? Maybe the moon could
be shared by all the nations on Earth, to be plundered equally and
subjected to the "tragedy of the commons". How long before humans
totally trashed the moon with soda cans and bubble gum wrappers?
Maybe the moon could be a place for us to dump our nuclear waste. When
it accumulates to a staggering point and a meltdown occurs the resulting
explosion could send the moon and its inhabitants careening through
space at a high rate of speed and the inhabitants could meet up with
life forms on other planets in other solar systems. Maybe the commander
of the moon base, let's call it Alpha, might meet up with a shapeshifter
named Maya.
Alas, the idea of living on the moon had influenced popular culture in
the 70's to a moderate degree and some young kids (including yours
truly) lounged glued to the TV screen wondering if living on the
careening moon and flying in Eagles would be as cool as being Sandmen
charged with hunting runners before they made it to Sanctuary. Soon we'd
be doing battle with chromed out Cylons. That was the golden age of
SciFi TV in my book.
More modestly, I think it would be cool to try hanging out on the moon
if feasible. Mars on the other hand...
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